Use of ePortfolios for making hiring decisions: a comparison of the results from representatives of large and small businesses

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane M. Holtzman ◽  
Ellen M. Kraft ◽  
Emmanuel Small
Keyword(s):  
New Jersey ◽  
Decision Process ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Career Preparation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hiring Process ◽  
Hiring Decision ◽  
Major Region ◽  
Comparison Of The Results

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to determine if representatives of small and large businesses in New Jersey believe portfolios would be valuable for evaluating applicants as part of the hiring process and whether portfolios would help applicants in the hiring process.Design/methodology/approachRepresentatives from 109 small and 71 large businesses in New Jersey were surveyed about using portfolios in the hiring process.FindingsRepresentatives from both small and large businesses believe that the submission of a portfolio of exemplary work may help the applicant and the employer in the hiring process.Research limitations/implicationsThe study limitations are that the respondents had different definitions of ePortfolio, it was a convenience survey, and the researchers used two sets of data. For future research, conducting a study in a major region of the world would be a significant contribution to learning about the views of business representatives globally regarding the use of ePortfolios in the hiring decision process.Practical implicationsThe authors recommend that educational institutions encourage students to create portfolios as part of their career preparation to gain an edge as applicants in the job market. EPortfolios are an emerging tool to help employers in the hiring decision process.Social implicationsEPortfolios would provide evidence of the employee's fit to the position, thus eliminating a mismatch of the employee's skill set and qualifications to the job. The ePortfolio aids the employer in seeing the candidate's skills for the position.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the limited research about the emergence of ePortfolios having a role in human resource decision making.

Employees’ perceptions of barriers to participation in training and development in small engineering businesses

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 561-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pattanee Susomrith ◽  
Alan Coetzer
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Employee Participation ◽  
Training And Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Formal Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industry Sector ◽  
Proactive Behaviour

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate barriers to employee participation in voluntary formal training and development opportunities from the perspective of employees in small engineering businesses. Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory qualitative methodology involving data collection via site visits and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 employees in five small engineering businesses was used. Interviews explored the role of developmental proactivity and employees’ perceptions of conditions in the immediate work environment and industry sector that represent barriers to their participation in formal training and development. Interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings – Three key findings are as follows. First, proactive behaviour regarding access to external training and development is muted in small business settings because of strong resource allocation norms. Second, factors in the internal work environment rather than the industry sector constitute the major barriers to training and development. Third, owner-managers and employees appear to have significantly differing perspectives of barriers to training and development. Research limitations/implications – The findings suggest avenues for future research. These include examining how workplace norms influence employee behaviour with regard to accessing formal training and development and investigating the learning strategies that employees use to compensate for a lack of access to training and development. Originality/value – Research into relatively low levels of employee participation in formal training and development in small businesses is deficient because it predominantly involves surveys of owner-managers’ opinions. This study is novel because it seeks to generate new insights not previously articulated by employees. The study yielded four propositions that have practical and research implications.

Research on fraud: an overview from small medium enterprises (SMEs)

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siti Faizah Zainal ◽  
Hafiza Aishah Hashim ◽  
Akmalia M. Ariff ◽  
Zalailah Salleh
Keyword(s):  
Internal Control ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Small Medium Enterprises ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a review of literature on fraud with a specific focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Specifically, it aims to provide further knowledge on recent developments in fraud research and offers suggestions for future research. Design/Methodology/Approach This paper systematically reviews the fraud literature, by organising them into five sections; definition, elements, theories, factors and prevention mechanisms. Findings The most common factors of fraud in SMEs are the low morale among employees and weak internal control within the organisations. Nonetheless, research on fraud involving SMEs is limited, albeit the importance of SMEs to the economy. Research Limitations/Implications This paper encapsulates the importance of research on fraud in SMEs by offering directions for future research. Among others, future studies might indicate the link between corruption, financing sources and innovation of SMEs, especially within the context of an emerging country and reveal the cost of the criminal justice system to identify more accurately the cost of fraud in SMEs. Originality/Value The focus on fraud in SMEs and the recent period of study offer a foundation for future research directed at the factors of fraud and the prevention mechanisms. Future research can further explore and broaden the literature on fraud involving SMEs through research that focuses on the impact of fraud and the types of control mechanisms that suit the SMEs. Greater understanding of fraud in the SMEs allows in identifying the best approach to prevent and detect fraud for small businesses with limited resources.

scholarly journals Sunday is the new Saturday

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 960-984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hina Khan
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Small Business Owners ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Ancillary Benefits ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multi Method Approach ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Considerable Support

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate consumers, family-run small businesses (small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)) and their employees’ perceptions and attitude towards reform of the Sunday Trading Act in Britain.Design/methodology/approachA multi-method approach was employed to collect data in this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 family-run small business owners/managers, 25 employees and 30 consumers. A survey was also conducted amongst 385 consumers and 279 employees. A convenience sampling method was used to collect data. Interview data were analysed by using content analysis and survey data were analysed by using descriptive statistics.FindingsThe results demonstrate considerable support for extending Sunday trading hours. Most of the arguments against the reform were found to be redundant. The findings suggest that in contemporary Britain, the restricted Sunday trading hours are perceived to be outdated and inconvenient.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings demonstrate that a paradigm shift is needed to meet and understand the changing market conditions. This exploratory study is limited to the UK. Future research will be extended to other European countries.Originality/valueThis is the first academic study to investigate the current debate regarding the deregulation of the Sunday trading hours. This study highlighted the psychographic changes and socio-economic demand in the marketplace. Sunday trading offers different types of benefits to consumers, employees and SMEs. The study proposed an original model that categorised these benefits into three major levels: primary benefits, ancillary benefits and ultimate benefits.

An exploratory study of wine business philanthropy in the USA

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armand Gilinsky Jr ◽  
Sharon Lee Forbes ◽  
Rosana Fuentes-Fernández
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Charitable Giving ◽  
Corporate Philanthropy ◽  
Corporate Citizenship ◽  
Wine Industry ◽  
Altruistic Behavior ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Model Sets ◽  
The Usa

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate philanthropic practices in the US wine industry, as prior research on charitable giving by wine industry participants is limited. Earlier studies on corporate philanthropy are inconclusive about the direction and the degree of community philanthropy on organizational effectiveness. There are also notable research gaps, including the lack of research into philanthropy in small businesses and the dominance of US studies. Design/methodology/approach This paper reviews the literature on corporate social responsibility and philanthropy, presents a series of propositions and a theoretical model, sets forth a research schema to investigate to what extent philanthropic activities are motivated by altruistic as well as strategic considerations across the global wine industry and reports preliminary findings from a sample of 100 US wine producers. Findings In brief, 99 per cent of the wine businesses surveyed significantly engaged in altruistic behavior in their local communities, primarily helped local charities, donated at the median 150 cases each year, and those activities represented about 1 per cent of pre-tax profits, comparable to or above giving by other participants in other industries. Research limitations/implications As survey data were self-reported, empirical proof has yet to be obtained to support or refute the findings of this investigation. Comparisons to philanthropic practices in other wine regions of the world are not yet completed. Practical implications Wine producers pursue community stewardship and maintain good corporate citizenship to create direct benefits apart from economic growth or jobs, but future research is needed to ascertain whether motivations are primarily altruistic or strategic. Social implications Communities embrace the presence of wine businesses to foster job creation and economic activity, but remain uncertain about the other community benefits. Originality/value This exploratory paper fills a major gap in understanding with respect to examining motives for giving and expected outcomes by wine industry participants.

scholarly journals Gender-responsive public procurement: strategies to support women-owned enterprises

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Orser ◽  
Xiaolu (Diane) Liao ◽  
Allan L. Riding ◽  
Quang Duong ◽  
Jerome Catimel
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equity ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Government Procurement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Equity Policy ◽  
Statistics Canada ◽  
Procurement Strategies

Purpose This paper aims to inform strategies to enhance public procurement opportunities for women-owned small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). To do so, the study examines two research questions: To what extent are women-owned enterprises under-represented among SME suppliers to government; and Do barriers to public procurement – as perceived by SME owners – differ across gender? Design/methodology/approach The study draws on the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm and on theories of role congruity and social feminism to develop the study’s hypotheses. Empirical analyses rely on comparisons of a sample of 1,021 SMEs that had been suppliers to government and 9,376 employer firms that had not been suppliers to government. Data were collected by Statistics Canada and are nationally representative. Logistic regression analysis was used to control for systemic firm and owner differences. Findings Controlling firm and owner attributes, majority women-owned businesses were underrepresented as SME suppliers to government in some, but not all sectors. Women-owned SMEs in Wholesale and Retail and in Other Services were, ceteris paribus, half as likely as to be government suppliers as counterpart SMEs owned by men. Among Goods Producers and for Professional, Scientific and Technical Services SMEs, there were no significant gender differences in the propensity to supply the federal government. “Complexity of the contracting process” and “difficulty finding contract opportunities” were the obstacles to contracting cited most frequently. Research limitations/implications The limitations of using secondary analyses of data are well documented and apply here. The findings reflect only the perspectives of “successful bidders” and do not capture SMEs that submitted bids but were not successful. Furthermore, the survey did not include questions about sub-contractor enterprises, data that would likely provide even more insights about SMEs in government supply chains. Accordingly, the study could not address sub-contracting strategies to increase the number of women-owned businesses on government contracts. Statistics Canada’s privacy protocols also limited the extent to which the research team could examine sub-groups of small business owners, such as visible minorities and Indigenous/Aboriginal persons. It is also notable that much of the SME literature, as well as this study, define gender as a dichotomous (women/female, men/male) attribute. Comparing women/female and men/males implicitly assumes within group homogeneity. Future research should use a more inclusive definition of gender. Research is also required to inform about the obstacles to government procurement among the population of SMEs that were unsuccessful in their bids. Practical implications The study provides benchmarks on, and directions to, enhance the participation of women-owned SMEs or enterprises in public procurement. Strategies to support women-owned small businesses that comply with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are advanced. Social implications The study offers insights to reconcile economic efficiency and social (gender equity) policy goals in the context of public procurement. The “policy-practice divides” in public procurement and women’s enterprise policies are discussed. Originality/value The study is among the first to use a feminist lens to examine the associations between gender of SME ownership and public procurement, while controlling for other salient owner and firm attributes.

The local innovation agents program: a literature review on the largest Brazilian small business innovation support program

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 565-588
Author(s):  
Gustavo Dambiski Gomes de Carvalho ◽  
Luis Mauricio Martins de Resende ◽  
Hélio Gomes de Carvalho ◽  
Joseane Pontes ◽  
Rúbia Oliveira Correa
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Support Program ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Innovation ◽  
Small Business Innovation ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Innovation Support

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the characteristics of Brazilian micro and small businesses (MSBs) and the main lessons derived from the largest small business innovation support program in the country, the Local Innovation Agents – Agentes Locais de Inovação (ALI) Program. Design/methodology/approach In total, 34 papers were selected from the Web of Science and Scopus databases (28), as well as from the Revista de Administração e Inovação – RAI (6), a seminal Brazilian innovation journal. The papers were analyzed in terms of the regional context, methodological approach and main findings. Regional complementary analyzes of some program figures were also performed by Spearman correlation and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Findings The review revealed a low innovation level among Brazilian MSBs and that the platform (incremental product) and brand (marketing) innovation dimensions were the most developed across different regions and industries. Reviewed papers also showed that all MSBs were able to improve innovation over the program independent of previous management and innovation levels, besides positive relationships between management and innovation. The complementary analysis provided a regional panorama of the program figures and corroborated MSBs innovation improvement. Research limitations/implications This review analyzed relevant papers and figures related to the program, summarized main lessons and provided future research venues. Practical implications Different innovation strategies reviewed may be implemented by MSBs owners. Policymakers may also benefit from the program experience. Originality/value Despite the high number of publications and the relevance of the largest Brazilian innovation support program, there were still no literature reviews comprehending the diverse lessons derived from the ALI Program, as well as a regional panorama of the program figures.

Social media marketing management: an application to small restaurants in the US

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elzbieta Lepkowska-White ◽  
Amy Parsons ◽  
William Berg
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Restaurant Industry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Media Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Orientations ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Social Media Management

Purpose This study aims to use a social media management framework and strategic orientation framework to explore how small restaurants manage social media. Design/methodology/approach The authors content-analyzed social media activity and interviews with 14 managers of social media in small independent restaurants in the northeast region of the USA that employed fewer than 20 employees. Findings The results of the study show that most small restaurants can be classified as anarchic, hierarchical and conservative defenders, and that they mainly focus on promotional activities on social media. The majority use social media also to drive traffic to a restaurant and, thus, act as calculative pragmatists. Very few use social media strategically or creatively in any of the social media management stages, and very few monitor or use social media information to improve their operations. Research limitations/implications This study shows that the adopted theoretical framework in this study for social media management helps analyze social media operations in small restaurants, points to the strategic orientations applied in small restaurants, shows the intricacies of each stage and helps show what small restaurants do well and how they can improve. Future research may use larger samples, investigate frameworks particularly relevant to small restaurants, such as the resource-based view (RBV) framework, and may focus on creative and diverse strategic approaches toward social media management for small establishments. Practical implications As customers continue shifting to social media and review sites, more restaurants may want to invest in developing more creative approaches toward social media and do it in more structured, integrated and continuous ways. The study describes a process they may want to follow and specific tactics that could be implemented to use social media more strategically in all stages of social media management. Social implications Not only are small business establishments the backbone of the restaurant industry, but they also appeal to customers more than large chains. This study shows how these small businesses can utilize social media to attract more customers, engage them, learn about them and their competitive environment to market and improve their operations. Originality/value The authors focus on the supplier side of social media for restaurants, a perspective lacking in the literature, and specifically small restaurants that receive less attention in prior research. Few studies exist that explore how social media is incorporated in all stages of social media management. The study points to the unique challenges that small restaurants experience in the process of using social media for marketing, monitoring and using social media to improve their operations. The study uses a relatively large sample of qualitative interviews conducted with managers of small restaurants and a content analysis of their actual social media activity.

scholarly journals Regional small businesses’ personal and inter-firm networks

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (12) ◽  
pp. 1957-1969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jalleh Sharafizad ◽  
Kerry Brown
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Personal Networks ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Small Business Owners ◽  
Business Networks ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Firm Networks

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of personal and inter-firm networks and the elements that contribute to the formation and management of these networks for regional small businesses. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 small business owners located in regional areas. Findings The findings highlight key characteristics of regional small business owners’ networks. Findings indicated that participants relied strongly on their personal networks for business purposes. This study shows that while personal networks adapted and changed into informal inter-firm networks, weak-tie relations within inter-firm networks were unlikely to develop into close personal networks. Novel findings also include a preference for “regional interactions” and included regular collaboration with local business competitors. Although the participants used social media to manage their business through personal networks, results confirmed there was a lack of awareness of the benefits of inter-firm networks with businesses outside the local region. Originality/value While it is acknowledged small business owners use personal and inter-firm connections to maintain and grow their business, there is a lack of research examining both of these networks in the same study. This research addresses this gap and presents five propositions as a useful direction for future research. This paper adds to the evolution of existing knowledge by expanding understanding of the formation of business networks and conditions of business trust relations within a regional context.

Informal financing or debt traps: are the UN sustainable development goals being met in emerging economies?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asfi Manzilati ◽  
Silvi Asna Asna Prestianawati
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Market Access ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Financing System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Fishing Sector ◽  
Development Goals

Purpose This paper aims to provide new insights into the financing system used in emerging economies and how they related to UN Development Goals for sustainable development. The study focuses on small businesses’ informal financing options and whether these lead the borrower into a debt trap. Design/methodology/approach The study uses the example of small-medium fisheries in Indonesia to highlight the formal/informal financing options availed by the businesses and their relationship with the lender. The authors use the qualitative method with a phenomenology approach and interview key stakeholders in the sector. Findings The authors find that the set interest repayments and the checks and balances involved in judging the borrower’s creditworthiness make the formal due to the strict requirements. Instead, the fishermen rely on the informal financing system and borrow from the mapak – a person who lends money on the condition that the fishermen’s catch will be sold to the lender as repayment. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on the financing system in emerging economies. Using the coastal business areas in the Indonesian fishing sector, the authors highlight the informal financing system and the potential debt trap. Future research could extend and study this issue in other industries and geographic regions to test whether emerging economies meet their targets and commitments under the UN Sustainability Development Goals. Emerging markets like Indonesia have a unique model of financing system and their business structure. Three conditions are highlighted in the financing system of business in coastal areas, namely, informal financing, close market access and social capital. Originality/value This study addresses financial inclusion and whether the UN Sustainability Development Goal 8 is being met in emerging economies. The study is one of the few to address this issue and highlights that emerging economies are yet to take concrete steps to make the formal financing sector more inclusive to achieve poverty alleviation.

Location and competitiveness in subsistence small businesses

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos M. Jardon
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Economic Performance ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Business Community ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Wood Industry ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to analyse the location as root of the specificity of the sources of competitiveness in subsistence small businesses (SSBs) of wood industry to improve the situation of poverty and the different behaviour of subsistence entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach The research uses an exploratory analysis based on principal components in two phases and confirmatory analysis based on partial least square techniques applied to a sample of 113 small and medium enterprises of wood industry in Oberá, a region of Argentina. Findings The analysis evidences the use of competitiveness sources of SSBs and a double behaviour in SSBs according to subsistence threshold. Satisfactory SSBs use competitiveness sources to improve organizational and economic performance. Unsatisfactory SSBs find economic performance without relation to organizational performance. Research limitations/implications Data are cross-sectional, and in a conjuncture of economy expansion, future research should monitor the sample of firms using panel data to assess the development of relations. Sample is in a particular region and sector, and generalizations should be done carefully. Practical implications SSBs should raise the strategy integrating short and long term, which requires a strengthening of intellectual capital, especially in cooperation, professionalism and training. They could integrate and share a business community to develop competitive advantages of collective systemic. Originality/value The research shows the importance of the location for the competitiveness of SSBs and provides a classification of SSBs according to their performance.

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